South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-07-01

Dc1YnDofnooo were now Tront1ug 0y II.
As Mary Ann remarked, '.It did seem
a. IL it took one persons time TO run up
and down stairs with books for them rs
borried and returned"
well, I'll scc," said Mary Ann.
Aud once moro she clattcrcd ur
stairs.
Here's Jane Eyre miss" said she.
"And Mrs. Castleton wants to borry
'Pevcrirs Pcak.'r
''L:t her have IT," said Lois.
Mary Ann advanced close to her mis-
tress.
Miss Lois" said she, in a confiden-
tial undcrtonc, 'ff it amt maxim too
bold. why don't VIC keep a circulating
library instead of free lending place?
hecrd the bookseller say to-day, while
was wrapping up my packets and
things in brown paper, as he made more
money out of his circulating library than
he did out OF his regular business"
Lois frightened up.
There's sem, sense in what you saw.
Mary Ann" said she. Money must be
had in some way, aud poor Uncle YER
ney's books shall earn it for us. I'll
cover and number them myself, and
you shall give them out and take them
in.''
Mary Ann was not bad business
agent, and the circulating library bust
ness prospcred in small way.
And between whites, Lois dill law
copying and mcndet the already twice
darned house linen. Any thing-any-
thing to escape the pitiless demons of
thought and memory
" 'C.arissa Harlowe,' chi That's
number fourteen" sail Mary Ann to
Betsy Roper, round checked serving
maid, who had stepped around with
her apron over her head and bright
silver shilling tied in the corner of her
pockethandkcrch;ef, "Its the first call
we've had for 'C.arissa Harlowc. ~
"Idon'tknow much about 'un, "said Bet
sey, b.ushing vivid plum color; ''but
my old uncle in Yorrukshirc, he always
toald me 10 be sure and read 'un when i
gotten chance. He said there were no
such books writ these days as 'un. can
keep 'un in the dressers drawer and read
'un ut night when the back O. my work
is broken"
Betsey Roper went away chuckling,
with the first volume of ''C.arissa Har-
lowe" under her arm, done up in brown
paper, and neatly pack threaded.
But in her desire 10 cultivate lit
erary taste, Betsey had calculated with
out her mistress. "Ciarissa'' had not lain
under the napkins in the dresser drawer
two hours when Miss Minerva Dorr tri.
umphantly possessed herself of it in the
course of search after a missing jap
AIMED tray.
"Ah" said Miss Minerva, "novcls,
ch | In my kitchen! Not if know itr'
And she carried "Clarissa" up to her
brothers survey without loss of tim.
Just sec here, David, if you please"
said sic, quivering all over with right
eons indignation. "And that English
girl too, who came so highly recommend.
ed, hiding novels away in your kitchen
What is this world coming tol"
Doctor Dorr glanced up from his
writing with a smile.
Why" said he, al suppose house,
maids like to read as we'll as other peo-
pc"
Like" repeated Miss Minerva, ga sill
ly novel like this'"
''An old English classic, Minerva"
gently corrected her brother. "Not
that it is my style of reading, but see
no harm in it."
IL shall talk to B,tscy when she gets
back with the yeast" said Miss Dorr
rigidly. I'm the meantime you will
please keep the book here"
Miss Dorr descended once more into
the subterranean regions, determined to
see the thing through.
Doctor Dorr took up the book and
slowly turned the leaves over.
'IIel!or he said to himself, "here's
two leaves pasted together, with some
thing between theml'
lie separated the sealed leaves deftly
with his ivory paper cutter.
letter lay there, directed in deli
cate woman's handwriting, to Doctor
David Dorr."
lie opened it, with strange, giddy
feeling in his head.
II was letter that Lois Verney had
written to him five years ago-the letter
that said, so innocently, so frankly:
al love you. will be your wife,"
Major Verncy had put the letter there.
1t required more moral courage than he
possessed to destroy it out and out; so
he had compromised matters by hiding
II between tho leaves OF "Clarissa Har-
lowe'-a book which nobody cared to
read in this generation. And Mai,r
Vcrncy had died and made no sign!
Doctor D1rr rose up hurricdly. lie
could guess how IL all was. His heart
lcaped joyfully in his breast; all the
world seemed coulcur dc rose to him.
lie took the letter ia his hand and car.
Gicd it strnightway to tho little old house